An Open Letter to Majority Leader Elect McCarthy

Today, National Jewish Democratic Council Executive Director Rabbi Jack Moline released an open letter to newly elected House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, congratulating him on his new position and challenging him to use his new authority to promote policies that help protect voters, families and the working class:

Dear Majority Leader-elect McCarthy:

Congratulations on your election to the position of House Majority Leader. You are no stranger to leadership positions in the Congress, but, as you know, your rise to this position gives you tremendous power with which to shape both the direction and the sentiment of our society.

Before coming to NJDC, I spent 35 years serving synagogue communities. I developed a sense of the values and on-the-ground commitments of the people I served. In that context, I offer you a bit of thought as to an agenda I hope you will champion.

As a Jew, I have been taught never to forget the impact of the injustices that have been dealt to my people. I know that injustice toward any minority threatens all minorities. In this vein, I urge you to move forward the bi-partisan Voting Rights Amendment Act, which restores protections for the most fundamental right to vote to all in our society.

The Jewish community has a long history of being the “people in-between,” being moved from place to place, forced to adapt to new cultures without a say in how or why. I urge you to promote a comprehensive immigration reform policy that protects families and allows for a reasonable path to citizenship.

Jewish tradition demands that workers be paid fully and promptly for the actual value of their work. I urge you to promote policies for pay equity, particularly bills that support equal pay for equal work, paid sick and family leave, and a rise in the minimum wage.

Judaism teaches us that God created all of humanity from a single person “so that no one can say to another ‘my parent was greater than yours.” I urge you to pass the Employment Non Discrimination Act, so that all workers are valued for the equality of their efforts rather than being judged on the basis of their sense of self.

In the next few weeks you will have the ability to bring forward important legislation that will better our society, and I hope you will make the most of this opportunity. What a fantastic way to create your legacy by reaching across the aisle and promoting bills that will help our American society. Congratulations again, and we look forward to working with you in the weeks to come.